W Alexander & Sons
Walter Alexander worked in Camelon Foundry, repairing bicycles with his brothers in the evenings and weekends. In 1902 he opened a general store in Camelon that offered bicycle sales, repairs and hire. He had aquired a motor lorry which he used for haulage work. In 1913 he launched Alexander’s Motor Services by fitting the lorry out with wooden seats and a hood over it, withbicycle lamps fitted inside. He used this to run a bus service transporting people between Falkirk, Bonnybridge, and Denny for the price of 1d. This was the “char-a-banc” – a cart with benches. He converted two more lorries. He obtained his first bus in 1919. This was luxurious by previous standards, having glass windows and cushioned seats. In 1922, Walter Alexander was expanding his service and manufacturing his own vehicles.
In 1924 the company was running 40 buses and the company of W Alexander & Sons Ltd. was registered with his son, also called Walter.
In 1929 they were bought by the Scottish Motor Traction Co, with the bulk of production for the Scottish Motor Traction group. In 1929, SMT (The Scottish Motor Traction Co.) acquired W Alexander & Sons. Expansion was rapid, partly through acquisition. They aquired Scottish General Omnibus Group in 1930 and Bydand Motor Omnibus Company of Aberdeen in 1932. In 1934 they agreed to run the city buses for Perth Corporation. Some acquired companies were initially operated as subsidiaries before being absorbed by Alexander. It became the area company for most of the east of Scotland north of the Forth.
Because the bus and coach operations of the SMT group were about to be nationalised, Walter Alexander & Co. (Coachbuilders) Ltd was set up in 1948 to keep bus manufacturing in private hands and in 1949 SMT was acquired by the British Transport Commission as part of the nationalisation of UK public transport.
In 1961 the British Transport Commission created a new holding company, Scottish Omnibuses Group (Holdings), which was re-named the Scottish Bus Group in 1963. The subsidiary bus companies were re-structured and as part of this process existing dormant companies were re-used and re-named to avoid creating new companies. W Alexander & Sons Ltd was divided into three companies: W Alexander & Sons (Midland) Ltd. based in Falkirk (from the dormant company of Wordie & Co), W Alexander & Sons (Fife) Ltd. based in Kirkcaldy (from W Alexander & Sons Ltd.) and W Alexander & Sons (Northern) Ltd. (from the dormant company Young’s Express Deliveries (BTC) Ltd.) from Aberdeen. W Alexander & Sons (Midland) was eventually taken over by the First Bus Group.
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| Alexander's Motor Services - 1913 to 1924 | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Source | (Smith 390/BF) | |
| Filename | AMS.018 | |
| Value | 2/- | |
| Add Desc. | AMS (Alexander Motor Services) | |
| Size (mm) | 31 | |
| Manufacture | Brass | |
| Notes | ||
| ||
| Source | (Breingan) | |
| Filename | AMS.021 | |
| Value | 2/6 | |
| Add Desc. | AMS (Alexander Motor Services) | |
| Size (mm) | 30 | |
| Manufacture | Brass | |
| Notes | ||
| ||
| Source | (Smith 390/BG) | |
| Filename | AMS.024 | |
| Value | 3/- | |
| Add Desc. | AMS (Alexander Motor Services) | |
| Size (mm) | 31 | |
| Manufacture | Brass | |
| Notes | Image from the RB Breingan collection auction 17/03/21,
courtesy of Simmons Gallery. | |
| W Alexander & Sons Ltd - 1924 to 1961 | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Source | (Smith 390/BB) | |
| Filename | AMS.0025 | |
| Value | 2½d | |
| Add Desc. | ||
| Size (mm) | 33 | |
| Manufacture | Brass | |
| Notes | Image from the RB Breingan collection auction 17/03/21,
courtesy of Simmons Gallery. | |
| File:AMS.003.jpg | ||
| Source | (Breingan) | |
| Filename | AMS.003 | |
| Value | 3d | |
| Add Desc. | ||
| Size (mm) | 32 | |
| Manufacture | Brass | |
| Notes | ||
| ||
| Source | ||
| Filename | AMS.003a | |
| Value | 3½d | |
| Add Desc. | ||
| Size (mm) | 33 | |
| Manufacture | Brass | |
| Notes | ||
| ||
| Source | (Smith 390/BA) | |
| Filename | AMS.004 | |
| Value | 4d | |
| Add Desc. | ||
| Size (mm) | 33 | |
| Manufacture | Brass | |
| Notes | ||
| ||
| Source | ||
| Filename | AMS.005 | |
| Value | 5d | |
| Add Desc. | ||
| Size (mm) | 33 | |
| Manufacture | Brass | |
| Notes | ||
| ||
| Source | (Breingan) | |
| Filename | AMS.P.001 | |
| Value | ||
| Add Desc. | Duty Pass | |
| Size (mm) | 61 | |
| Manufacture | enameled steel | |
| Notes | ||
| ||
| Source | (Breingan) | |
| Filename | AMS.P.002 | |
| Value | ||
| Add Desc. | Duty Pass | |
| Size (mm) | 118 x 56 | |
| Manufacture | enameled steel | |
| Notes | ||
